A lot of late action today. In fact, it's all late action tonight. Bummer if you were home sick or were trying to catch some afternoon action on MLB.tv. On the plus side, what else is there to watch tonight? LeBron v Orlando? There's no "Lost" on tonight (I wish I could somehow time travel to the start of next season). Ditto for playoff hockey (I wish I could somehow time travel to Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals). In the remote possibility you have a date or feel like taking advantage of a pleasant spring evening, then fear not, as the Rotowire army and I will be paying attention to MLB action for ya.
This will be a loooong post, so I've broken it up into two posts to get stuff up quicker. Look for part 2 soon.
Here's what we'll be looking for:
AZ @ FLA (Night-night double header)
1st Game: Doug Davis v Chris Volstad
Emotions flared in Davis' last start, as he was not too happy when manager A.J. Hinch pulled the plug after 80 pitches… Davis has allowed nine home runs in eight starts… To be fair, they were all hit by batters hitting fourth or better… They have all been solo shots… Volstad has also been victim to the long ball with eight allowed in eight starts… Unlike Davis, some have been hit by some pretty unlikely hitters (ie: Chan Ho Park, Kelly Johnson, Xavier Paul)… On the plus side, Volstad boasts a 2.25 K/BB and 1.138 WHIP through 48.1 innings
2nd Game: Bryan Augenstein v likely Hayden Penn
Augenstein may be stuck in Miami with the Mobile blues again… He boasted a sub-1.00 ERA for Double-A Mobile but allowed five runs on eight hits in 6.1 innings against the Reds…. He makes this start on six days of restThis is Penn's first MLB start since 2006… Manager Fredi Gonzalez will probably bring out the plunger after 60 or 70 pitches… He has a 15:6 K:BB ratio in 9.1 May innings…
Lineup Notes: Until the next time Josh Whitesell… He was optioned to Triple-A Reno Tuesday… Doug Slaten takes his roster spot and will serve as an extra arm for the double header… Gonzalez shook up his lineup for Game 1, using Jeremy Hermida in the two hole and Chris Coghlan eighth … Alfredo Amezaga (bone bruise) will be unable to play until Saturday
Weather: Temperatures dropping from the 80s into the mid-70s with a 40-50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms
TEX @ DET
Matt Harrison v Justin Verlander
Harrison is coming off back-to-back complete games… He has an 18:2 K:BB ratio during his four-game winning streak and 63 percent of his pitches have gone for strikes… He has seen 113 batters in those four games, and he has held them to a .202/.230/.257 line… Verlander has been even more impressive than that over his past four starts… 44:8 K:BB with 66 percent of his pitches going for strikes… Pretty underrated pitching matchup here that may get ruined by two offenses that have each scored 200 runs already this season
Lineup Notes: Josh Hamilton sat Tuesday with a groin injury, but was in the batter's box for Frank Francisco's simulated game… He is not in Wednesday's lineup… Michael Young has hit safely in 18 of his past 19 games… Wilkin Ramirez, filling in for bereavement-listed Magglio Ordonez, starts Wednesday…. DH'ing and batting third
Weather: Clear, low in the low-60s
PIT @ WAS
Maholm has a 122 ERA + through eight starts, but has roughly half as many strikeouts (25) as innings pitched (51.1)… He has allowed five or more runs in a game just twice (@MIL and @NY-N)… Since an eight-strikeout performance April 17 against Florida, Lannan has 10 strikeouts in six starts… He has 12 walks in that same stretch, and he hit two batters in his last start
Lineup Notes: Craig Monroe will likely play against left-handed Lannan… Justin Maxwell starts in center with Elijah Dukes DL'ed… Daniel Cabrera joins the Nats' bullpen
Weather: Clear, low in the mid-50s
BAL @ NY-A
Jeremy Guthrie v Phil Hughes
Guthrie snapped a five start win-less streak May 14 against KC, but he only struck out two (to two walks) and lasted just five innings…. He is averaging just under six innings a start and has allowed eight home runs in eight starts… After a stellar 2009 debut, Hughes has gone 0-2 with four home runs allowed in his past three starts…. Batters are hitting .429/516/.796 off Hughes in those games… This could be his last start before Chien-Ming Wang returns
Lineup Notes: Alex Rodriguez's batting average hovers below .200, but he has homers in four straight games
Weather: Clear, Low around 60
OAK @ TB
Anderson has yet to win a game this season, and he only achieved 10 outs in his last start… He has one strikeout over his last two starts… Season K:BB is 15:10… He has allowed five home runs in six starts, but three of those came at homer-happy Yankee Stadium… If I had said eight weeks ago that Scott Kazmir would have a 1.863 WHIP and 6.97 ERA through eight starts, I probably would have had my blogging privileges revoked… Even more concerning is his 32:25 K:BB, and he has had an even ratio or worse in four starts
Lineup Notes: Nomar Garciaparra could have come off the DL last Thursday… His availability is questionable Wednesday… The A's added Craig Breslow off waivers Wednesday afternoon… Landon Powell is not DL-bound after hurting his hammy Monday… Dioner Navarro has dealt with a pretty bad case of pink eye the past few days (insert "Knocked Up" reference here), but pinch hit on Tuesday… He will play Wednesday
Weather: The Trop
PHI @ CIN
The push for win No. 250 continues for Moyer, who has been stuck on 249 wins since April 26… He has allowed seven earned runs in each of his past two starts… Six home runs allowed in the month of May, and they have not all been from traditional power sources (ie: Jose Reyes, Kelly Johnson, James Loney, Ramon Castro…)… Harang is 2-4 with with a 4.46 ERA and .285 BAA since throwing a complete game shutout April 12… Can't complain about the 32:9 K:BB over that span
Lineup Notes: Raul Ibanez hits third for the fifth-straight game, pushing Chase Utley to the second spot… Joey Votto (dizziness) remains out while he undergoes more tests… Ramon Hernandez plays first and Ryan Hanigan catches… Darnell McDonald starts for the second straight game… Austin Kearns is back after five misses
Weather: Clear, low in the low-50s
TOR @ BOS
Cecil's last start was his first rough one… He allowed two home runs and managed only three strikeouts against the White Sox, but still picked up the win… He has not hit a batter since plunking three in his first start… Penny's walk rate has slowed a bit in May (2.47 BB/9) after allowing 5.75 per nine in April… He has allowed 10 earned runs in 18.2 May innings, but has yet to allow a homer in the month… 2.05 times more fly balls than ground balls in the month
Lineup Notes: Toronto has reportedly contemplated demoting Travis Snider to Triple-A… He sat Tuesday, but should be back Wednesday… Kevin Youkilis (oblique) is expected to play for the first time since May 4… His return should push Jeff Bailey into a reserve role…
Weather: Clear with a low around 61
COL @ ATL
Jorge De La Rosa v Javier Vazquez
Did you know De La Rosa's 150 ERA+ is good for 10th in the NL?… He remains winless through seven starts, but he struck out 22 (to one walk) over his past two starts… He has also held opposing batters to a .204/.288/.299 line over his past six starts… Vazquez's 5.154 K/BB this season ties him with Johan Santana for second in the NL in that stat…
Lineup Notes: Manager Clint Hurdle was not too happy with Troy Tulowitzki's performance Tuesday and Omar Quintanilla starts at short Wednesday… Garret Atkins returns from a two-game "time out"… The Braves' lineup is righty loaded… Martin Prado starts at first and bats fourth, Matt Diaz in left batting fifth and Omar Infante leading off and playing second
Weather: Low around 62 with wind gusting up to 25 mph
MIL @ HOU
Yovani Gallardo v Wandy Rodriguez
Gallardo's Friday start was nullified by rain, so this is technically his first start since May 9… He has 38 strikeouts to 10 walks over his past five starts (35 innings) with a 1.80 ERA… He has thrown more than 100 pitches in all seven of his starts (not counting the rain-shortened.. one Friday)… Rodriguez struck out 11 and walked none in his May 14 start… In fact, he has 19 K's since his last walk… He is yet to allow a home run in 52 innings pitched
Lineup Notes: Casey McGehee starts at second for the Brewers… Bill Hall is at third and Craig Counsell is not playing… LaTroy Hawkins (hip) is available to pitch but was not called on Tuesday
Weather: Partly cloudly with a low near 61… 20 percent chance of showers
To be continued....